Chapter 3 Lines Begin To Blur

Sienna arrived at the office earlier than usual the next morning, not because she had to, but because it was the only way to maintain control. Adrian Blackwood played games—ones she refused to lose. If he was testing her, she would test him right back. She settled into her desk, reviewing his schedule for the day. Meetings, contract negotiations, a working lunch with a key investor. Typical, except for the gap at three—the one he’d told her to clear. What was he up to? She didn’t have time to dwell. Just as she finished organizing his files, the elevator chimed. She glanced up, already knowing who it was. Adrian strode in, crisp and composed as always, his sharp black suit tailored to perfection. There was something effortlessly commanding about the way he moved—purposeful, powerful. He didn’t acknowledge her at first, but she felt the weight of his gaze as he passed. Watching. Calculating. “Coffee, Miss Locke.” Not a request. A statement. Sienna rose smoothly. “How do you take it?” He stopped mid-step. Turned. His lips curved just slightly, the barest hint of amusement. “You don’t know?” She met his gaze without hesitation. “I like to be thorough, Mr. Blackwood. I wouldn’t want to assume.” Adrian chuckled, low and rich. “Black. No sugar.” Figures. Sienna walked toward the executive lounge, ignoring the awareness prickling along her skin. The dynamic between them was shifting, growing taut with something unspoken. By the time she returned, Adrian was seated at his desk, flipping through a contract. She set the coffee down without a word. But as she turned to leave, he spoke. “Wait.” She stilled, watching as he closed the file and leaned back in his chair. “Do you always handle pressure this well?” Sienna arched a brow. “I wasn’t aware getting coffee was a high-pressure task.” Adrian smirked. “That wasn’t what I meant.” She didn’t reply. Instead, she waited, refusing to let him dictate the pace of this conversation. He seemed to enjoy that. Finally, he stood, moving toward her in that slow, deliberate way that sent a pulse of something dangerous through her veins. He stopped just close enough for her to catch the faintest scent of his cologne—something dark, refined, with an edge of spice. “I’ve had assistants before,” he murmured, tilting his head slightly. “Efficient. Professional.” His gaze flickered over her face. “But none who challenge me quite like you do.” Sienna’s heart gave a traitorous beat. She held her ground. “You hired me for my skills, Mr. Blackwood. Not to entertain you.” His smirk deepened. “Did I?” A sharp silence stretched between them. Adrian took another slow step forward, the space between them dwindling to nothing. He didn’t touch her. Didn’t have to. The air crackled. Sienna refused to break first. Then—just as before—he pulled away. The moment dissolved, leaving nothing behind but the lingering tension in its wake. “Your next task,” he said smoothly, as if the past few seconds had never happened. “You’ll be accompanying me to the investor meeting this afternoon.” Sienna straightened. “That wasn’t on the schedule.” “I added it.” His gaze flickered with something knowing. “Try to keep up, Miss Locke.” And just like that, he was gone, leaving her standing there, pulse slightly unsteady. Damn him. She had expected Adrian Blackwood to be powerful. Calculated. She hadn’t expected him to be this dangerous.